Thief 2: The Metal Age Walkthrough :

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Walkthrough - FAQ

Page 1

Thief II: The Metal Age (v1.18)
FAQ v1.0 by Taffer (taffer@sprint.ca)
May 19, 2000
"It is not a question about what the Law is, but rather what it is not. The Law
is neither noble, nor an end in itself. It is not for the weak-minded or the
squeamish. The Law is simply a means for those who control it, namely me, to
acquire that which I want. One with your wealth and connections, who is prepared
to sacrifice to have a troubling problem resolved, need only describe to me in
detail the favor you are requesting."
-- Gorman Truart, correspondence
"The Master Builder came unto us. He built for us a new house, and the house was
like His house. And he gifted us with knowledge, and we learned to use Boiler
and Gear. That unto us would come His Paradise, and there would be no pain."
-- from Mechanist Rote Texts for Novices
"Twice moons face darks us showed
Twice thems jackals singsie
Thrice Him harvest failsy blights
Thrice we weeps and chillsing..."
-- Unattributed, Ink on Parchment
"Our focus shifted to those who presented two faces: one manifest yet false, the
other hidden yet true. To interfere directly would bring ruin, still, the glyph
warnings were absolute."
-- Keepers Annals
"He poured his children's eyes from glass and from steel wrought their hands
that none could escape his judgement."
-- The New Scripture of the Master Builder
Table of Contents
=================
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
3.1: Patches Available
3.2: Reading This FAQ
3.3: Best Times
3.4: Mission Objectives
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
3.5: Recommended Purchases
3.6: The Walkthroughs
3.7: Headers
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
3.9: Contacting the Author
3.9.1: Contact Through Email
3.9.2: Contact Through ICQ
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
3.9.3: Thief FAQ Mailing Lists
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
Section 4: Game Notes
4.1: Patrols
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
4.3: Doors
4.4: Hard Surfaces
4.5: Water
4.6: Food
4.7: Gas Lamps
4.8: Compass
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
4.10: Leaning
4.11: Zooming
4.12: Enemies
4.12.1: Human Guards
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
4.13: Arsenal
4.13.1: Sword
4.13.2: Blackjack
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
4.13.4: Water Arrows
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
4.13.9: Noisemaker Arrows
4.13.10: Flash Bombs
4.13.11: Flares
4.13.12: Explosive Mines
4.13.13: Gas Mines
4.13.14: Potions
4.14: Cheats
Section 5: Running Interference (Mission 1)
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Objectives: Normal
5.3: Objectives: Hard
5.4: Objectives: Expert
5.5: Simplified Objectives
5.6: Before The Mission
5.7: Notes Regarding This Mission
5.8: Walkthrough
Section 6: Input From Other Thieves
Section 7: Thief II Sites On The Internet
Section 8: Version History
Section 9: Disclaimer
Section 10: Endnotes And Copyright Notice
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
=================================
Well, here it is at last! The first release of the Thief II FAQ! A lot of the
initial non-walkthrough information included in this first release is basically
"Cut-and-Pasted" from the Thief Gold FAQ I did (in particular, the Arsenal
section). I will fix any errors as I come across them. I apologize if this
inconveniences anyone.
For those of you that don't know me, I wrote the FAQ for Thief Gold as well. For
those of you that DO know me...welcome back! :)
In the last month or so of working on the Thief Gold FAQ, my computer had taken
to crashing when I played the game while working on the walkthrough and, on
three seperate occasions, spontaneously rebooting! Fortunately, this has not yet
happened with Thief II. So either Thief Gold was less stable than I thought, or
my computer doesn't like running a game while I work on a text file nearly a
megabyte in length. :)
On June 30th, I am getting a cable connection to the Internet, so the email
address I am currently using will not be functioning anymore. I don't have a new
one to give out yet, as some taffer has used my email name on the server I'm
joining. :( While I may not be able to use "taffer", I will try to use something
similar...like taffer_one, or taffer!, or something like that.
The format that I used for the Thief Gold FAQ had gotten very little criticism,
and any criticism it did get was taken into account and instituted accordingly.
And since this format worked so well, I have decided to use an identical format
for this FAQ. However, if you have anything you'd like to see added and/or
changed, I am always open to your suggestions, comments, criticisms,
etc....after all, this is for you!
Incidentally, does anyone know how to take a screen shot in this game? I can't
find it in the Default Controls list, and the default from Thief Gold is used by
something else. :(
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
==============================================
The next release will probably not be for a little while yet, as I want to go
back over the Thief Gold FAQ and polish it up for it's "final" release. However,
since all of the television shows that I watch (The Practice, Ally McBeal, and
Star Trek: Voyager) are all having their season finales soon, I'll have nothing
to distract me from continuing working on these FAQs! (Except I seem to have
somehow become addicted to "The Sims", and I really should do some more work on
my chain mail armour...and then of course, there is the move....)
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
=====================================
This is the first release of the FAQ. EVERYTHING is new! :)
For a complete version history, see Section 8.
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
===========================================
This is my second FAQ/Walkthrough. All input is appreciated, especially
regarding what you liked, and how I can improve it. Please send comments,
suggestions, etc., to taffer@sprint.ca
This FAQ does not cover the entire game at the moment. It only covers the first
mission, "Running Interference". Other missions will be added every now and
then, at irregular intervals.
This game is the sequel to both Thief: The Dark Project, and Thief: The Dark
Project Gold (hereafter referred to as Thief Gold...this is an "enhanced"
version of the first game). Despite this, most of the FAQ will assume you have
NOT played either of the previous games. I will, however, point out items of
interest for those who HAVE played one or both of them. (For example, in the
first mission, you are helping Basso...whom you rescued from prison in the
previous games.)
This FAQ/Walkthrough is based on the PC version of the game. Does another
version exist? I don't know.
3.1: Patches Available
======================
There are a couple of patches available for this wonderful game. Not all of them
are necessary however.
There is a large (30+ megs) patch called "thf2v118" which patches your Thief II
game to v1.18, the version which this FAQ is based on.
There is a much smaller (3 meg) patch for the Thief II mission editor DromED,
which you WILL need if you want to make your own missions and have patched the
game to v1.18. This file is called "dromed118".
Finally, since the game patch to v1.18 makes a LOT of changes throughout many of
the missions, you can download the v1.18 versions of these missions for DromED,
either seperately or all together in one big file. All together, the fifteen
files total about 50 megs when compressed together.
The first patch (the game patch) is available from the Eidos website. I will
have to do some exploring online to find the location of the other two.
3.2: Reading This FAQ
=====================
I have had a few people email me saying that they had trouble reading the Thief
Gold FAQ through certain programs (such as Internet Explorer). They say they
can't read it through their standard viewing programs, as the lines run off the
screen. This has so far only come from people who are on my mailing list.
When I type up the FAQ, I use the WordPad program which came with Windows 98. I
have the View/Options set to "Wrap to ruler". Then I type merrily away, without
having to worry about hitting the "Enter" key. Unfortunately, when the document
is later viewed in certain other programs, it prints the entire line of text
until the end, sometimes continuing off the screen (as described above).
If you are having this problem viewing the FAQ, then I suggest you do one of two
things:
1) Use WordPad to view it, with the View/Options set to "Wrap to
ruler",
2) Go to www.cheatcc.com and download the FAQ from there.
Apparently (and I don't know how), when the webmaster puts the FAQ up on his
site, this problem of lines not wrapping disappears.
I'm afraid that's all I can suggest at this time.
3.3: Best Times
===============
For those missions that have been completed, I have also included my best time
for completing that mission. This is for various reasons, but mostly to do with
ego. :) Note that my best time for a mission does NOT necessarily reflect this
walkthrough. For example, I may take a more risky path, or I may run on metal
grating...or I may not bother hiding bodies, closing doors, cleaning up
bloodstains, etc.. Each mission was finished, however, with both the maximum
possible loot and all secrets found, unless otherwise noted.
For those who may be interested, I've collected all my best times here:
Mission 1: Running Interference -- 6 minutes, 50 seconds
Mission 2: Shipping... And Receiving -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 3: Framed -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 4: Ambush! -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 5: Eavesdropping -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 6: First City Bank And Trust -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 7: Blackmail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 8: Trace The Courier -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 9: Blood Trail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 10: Life Of The Party -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 11: Precious Cargo -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 12: Kidnap -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 13: Casing The Joint -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 14: Masks -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 15: Sabotage At Soul Forge -- (Haven't played it yet)
3.4: Mission Objectives
=======================
Although each mission walkthrough shows the objectives for Normal, Hard, and
Expert levels, the walkthrough itself covers ONLY the Expert level.
The Simplified Objectives contain the mission objectives as viewed from within
the mission. They are less verbose, and more to the point than the wordy
objectives given before the mission begins. Although the only ones shown are
from the Expert level, you should be able to pick out which ones apply to your
game if you are playing on Normal or Hard instead.
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
==========================
During some missions which you will undertake, your mission objectives will
deviate from those which you started with as you progress through the mission.
This can be due to changing situations, the gaining of further information,
receiving new instructions, and perhaps other reasons as well. You are informed
in the game when your mission objectives change, and the mission's walkthrough
also reflects this. When your objectives change, the walkthrough will give you a
list of your new objectives.
Note that when your objectives list is displayed inside a mission's walkthrough,
it will also indicate which ones you have completed so far. If your list differs
from the one given within, it means that you have not followed the walkthrough
as it is laid out. For example, if you need 1500 in treasure to complete a
mission objective, and the walkthrough says you have done so but your mission
objectives do not, then you have not picked up all the treasures indicated up to
that point.
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
=======================
Some missions also have Bonus Objectives. These are mission objectives that you
don't find out about until AFTER you've completed them. Your very first mission,
"Running Interference", has one of these.
When you receive a Bonus Objective, if you have Goal Notification turned on, you
will be informed just as if you had completed a normal objective. If you look at
your objectives however, you will see one has been added, and that it is already
checked. Just as with changing objectives, whenever you receive a bonus
objective the walkthrough will give you a list of what your current objectives
are, including the new, Bonus Objective.
Note: You don't find out about the bonus objectives until AFTER you've found
them. That being the case, each mission walkthrough documents the bonus
objectives which I have FOUND. I will do my best to find them all, but I can't
guarantee there are no more than the ones shown. If anyone finds others I miss,
please let me know.
3.5: Recommended Purchases
==========================
At the end of each "Before The Mission" section, I've listed the equipment that
I personally use and/or recommend to complete that mission. In most cases, these
purchases will NOT eat up all of your funds. Use whatever you have left over as
you see fit.
Note that my recommended purchases are not always what is NECESSARY to complete
the mission. In some cases, it will make the mission easier for you, in others
it may simply be that there is NOTHING to buy to help you, but what I've
recommended is (in my opinion) the best you can do.
3.6: The Walkthroughs
=====================
This FAQ is geared towards having you complete each mission with the maximum
amount of treasure possible, on top of completing all of your quests. Each
mission is done at the EXPERT level, and all statistics are given for that
difficulty setting (ie: what you find, where, how much, etc.). I have not tried
playing these missions on the lower difficulty levels.
Each mission walkthrough is presented in the following manner:
1) it allows you to find all the treasure that is available;
2) it points you to all the secrets you can find;
3) it attempts to give you the most expedient path through the mission,
with a minimal amount of backtracking, thus giving you a better
finishing time;
4) it attempts to present the SAFEST method of doing things.
A few words regarding numbers three and four:
The most expedient path means the fastest way through the mission while still
keeping the other three goals in mind. Most missions have several "sidetrek"
areas, where there is nothing for you to do or to acquire. However, a lot of
these areas are just plain interesting...the designers have put a lot of time,
effort, and planning into some of these, and it would be a shame for you to miss
it all. So I suggest that when you are using the walkthrough, if you come across
a "sidetrek" area, save your game, and go and investigate it. A lot of times, it
is well worth it.
[A good example of these sidetreks: In Mission 3 of Thief Gold, "Down in the
Bonehoard", there are several places where you can find members of a lost
expedition and read their journals. But since you need to go out of your way to
get to them, they are not mentioned in that FAQ.]
The SAFEST method of doing something is not always the fastest way. There are
some areas where there is a more risky way of doing something, but doing so is
faster. Sometimes it's not just a matter of risk, but of timing as well, since a
lot of the guards patrol. So if you've been wondering why you can't beat my best
times no matter HOW closely you follow the walkthroughs...well, that's your
answer. (See Section 3.3: Best Times, for more details.)
3.7: Headers
============
The mission headers were a late addition to the Thief Gold FAQ. They were
included when a few people wrote in to say that they had trouble finding a
specific area of a mission that they were looking for when they needed help in a
single area. Since their inclusion, no one has written in with this problem.
The beginning of each mission's walkthrough will have a list of "headers". These
are distributed throughout each walkthrough, in an effort to make it easier for
people to find a certain section that they are looking for.
Note that these headers are NOT always entirely accurate. A section may change
before the header does, or one section may contain a brief "side trip" into
another section. The walkthrough may move you through a bit of a new section
before changing the header.
An example of this is in the first mission (Running Interference). There is a
brief sidestrip from the basement kitchen up into the entry hall, and then
you're brought right back down into the kitchen again.
I hope you all like the headers and find them useful! Enjoy! :)
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
===========================================
This is a question that many Thief fans have asked countless times. I received a
few emails regarding this, and here is what I've derived from them:
There is a Mother Goose nursery rhyme that contains the line(s), "Taffy was a
Welshman, Taffy was a thief". "Taffy" is a slang name for a Welshman.
At least one other person has suggested to me that "Taffer" is a dilution of
"Trickster", much like in modern English "Darn" is a dilution of "Damn", and
"Heck" is a dilution of "Hell".
Someone wrote in to suggest that "Taffer" was merely a censoring word, that
could be replaced with any appropriate expletive. (Or perhaps more likely, a
sort of "medieval cuss-word", as he put it.)
I've been informed that in Suffolk, England, there is a verb, "to taff", which
means "to spit". So a Taffer would be a Spitter.
Apparently there is some point in the game (which I have either missed or not
yet gotten to), where a Hammerite makes reference to the fact that "Taffer" and
"Trickster" are synonymous.
If anyone can clarify, expand, or suggest another meaning, please contact me! I
seem to recall having once seen a definition online (on a message board
somewhere) that made much more sense.
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
===================================
Lastly, someone sent me an email with the following information:
"I got this one from PC Accelerator. They interviewed Steve Pearsall,
project designer of Thief. The question, "What is a Taffer and where did it come
from?" The Answer, "One of our level designers, Laura Baldwin, made it up.
Taffer was meant to be a slang word that meant a common criminal, but has
evolved into meaning any sort of low life." So basically it is a fictitious
word. Hey, maybe it will become real if we use it enough."
So there you have it. I'll bet the people over at Looking Glass Studios have
been having a nice chuckle watching everyone go crazy and coming up with these
(admittedly inventive) possible meanings/origins of a word they made up! :)
Be sure you all use this word everyday! I want to see it in the next edition of
Webster's Dictionary! :)
3.9: Contacting the Author
==========================
You can contact me either through email, or through ICQ.
3.9.1 Contact Through Email
===========================
My email address is: taffer@sprint.ca
Please note...I am going to be getting a cable connection for the Internet. When
I do, the above email address will cease to exist. This is PLANNED to occur on
June 30th. I will try to let you know what the new email address will be before
then.
I do read all your emails (except for a few...see the next paragraph for
details), and I try to reply to every one of them. Sometimes I am unable to
reply, simply due to the great number I receive, time constraints, and any
number of other reasons. However, any questions sent to me that are already
answered in this FAQ will be ignored.
NOTE: DO NOT SEND ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING MISSIONS NOT COVERED IN THIS FAQ!!!
There is a very simply reason why I ignore these emails. I don't read them.
These missions are not included in the FAQ yet because I have not PLAYED them
yet. And a lot of the emails I used to get like this would say things like "How
do I do X on Mission Y? I've done A, B, C and D, and found that J and K are
hidden here, but X is still eluding me!" Congratulations, you've just ruined
some surprises for me on that mission. Because of this, I now delete a message
as soon as I see it is heading in that direction.
I hate having something ruined for me...I like playing the game and finding
things out for myself. So do not waste your time or mine by sending in questions
for missions not yet covered...they will not even be read.
3.9.2 Contact Through ICQ
=========================
If you want to contact me through ICQ (all single ladies welcome! ), my ICQ
number is: 19232955. My handle is "Taffer".
Note that the same rules for email apply to ICQ as well. Also, if you have a
lengthy amount of information to send me, I would appreciate it if you would do
so using email.
Please Note: I do not use the "Chat" mode on ICQ. I only use the messaging
feature. My ICQ settings are currently set up to automatically decline any chat
requests.
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
===================================
This refers to people who add me to their contact list using some sort of a hack
or crack program, without receiving my authorization first.
WARNING! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT add me to your contact list WITHOUT receiving
my authorization first! Several people appear to think it's a real laugh to do
this. Well, the first time someone did that to me, they erased my hard drive. So
consider this your first and only warning: Do NOT add me in this
manner...request authorization like everyone else. ANYONE who adds me without
requesting my authorization will IMMEDIATELY get placed on my ignore list. I
will not even bother reading any messages that person may have sent. (This may
seem harsh...but if you had had YOUR hard drive erased, I'm sure you would
understand completely.)
3.9.3: Thief II FAQ Mailing Lists
=================================
There are TWO mailing lists for those who wish to be notified of updates: a
"Zipped" list, and a "Notify" list.
Anyone who wishes to be put on a mailing list will have to tell me which one
they wish to be on. One list of people will receive a zipped email attachment of
the FAQ (the "Zipped" list). The other list of people (the "Notify" list) will
only be receiving an email stating that the FAQ has been sent up to
www.cheatcc.com (and ONLY to www.cheatcc.com ...anyone else posting the FAQ
does not necessarily have the most up to date version, but I always send the
latest release to the address given above!). Anyone requesting to be put on a
mailing list without stating which one will default to the "Notify" list.
Please note that this does not mean that the FAQ has been POSTED there
yet...only that I have sent it up to BE posted. There may sometimes be a delay
in the posting.
Emails will be sent out AS THE FAQ IS UPDATED AND RELEASED.
Anyone who is on a mailing list that would like to be switched over to the other
list will have to send me an email stating so. Likewise, if you want to be
removed from either mailing list, you'll need to send me an email stating so.
Anyone who is on the "Zipped" list for this FAQ automatically receives, at no
extra cost, the Thief II Companion Guide that I am attempting to create.
Anyone who was put on one of my mailing lists for my Thief Gold FAQ has
automatically been put on a similar mailing list (either "Zipped" or "Notify")
for this FAQ, unless they requested otherwise.
PLEASE NOTE: Since I now have more than one mailing list (Thief Gold and Thief
II), if you wish to be removed, please tell me WHICH mailing list you wish to be
removed from when you make your request. Simply saying "Take me off your mailing
list" will result in me asking myself "Which one does (s)he mean?", and the
result will be nothing being done. Even simply putting the game's title in the
subject heading is sufficient.
I have no intention, now or ever, of distributing these email addresses to
anyone, nor will they be used by me for advertising or "spamming". It is simply
to get the FAQ out to those who are waiting for it.
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
=======================
Once when I sent out a FAQ to those on the mailing list, one of the emails
bounced back. Apparently, someone changed their email address and didn't inform
me. This is not good. I have a slow internet connection, and every email that
bounces back I have to download with the attachment. If more than one person
does it, well, that would be a long wait. Fortunately, it was only one person.
What's my point? Oh yes...from this point on, anyone who's email account bounces
back to me will be removed from the mailing list. Seems fair, since they aren't
getting the attachment anyway.
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
==============================
This is my second FAQ. I have two others at present, one of which is being
written concurrently with this one.
The Thief Gold FAQ, which is now nearly complete, and covers all the missions in
the game. Thief Gold is the precursor to Thief II, and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn't played it yet.
The other FAQ I am working on is a Companion Guide to this one, which will
contain (should I keep it up) the text of every document, scroll, parchment,
plaque, letter, report, announcement and palimpsest that I have been able to
find in the game. It is not necessary for either playing Thief II or for using
this FAQ, it is simply included as a "bonus supplement".
All of these documents, including this one, can be found at www.cheatcc.com
Section 4: Game Notes
=====================
4.1: Patrols
============
Some areas have guards (of one sort or another) moving around in them, and
sometimes moving from one area to another. This makes it difficult to say for
sure when a certain task you may be told to perform should be done, as it is
unlikely that you will arrive at the area at the exact same time during the
mission that I did. In these areas, it's a good idea to save your game. (This
will be noted at the proper areas.)
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
===========================
Leaving bodies out in the open where they can be seen, or not cleaning up
telltale bloodstains (by shooting a Water Arrow at them) is inviting discovery.
While there are certain points in the game where just leaving your victims where
they fall may be all right (and, in some cases, unavoidable), for the most part,
you should tidy up after yourself. After telling you to take out someone, this
FAQ is going to assume that you have the prudence to hide your handiwork.
Any bloodstains you leave behind that you don't clean up yourself seem to
disappear over time. I guess they "soak" into the carpet, stone, ground, etc..
A note of macabre interest, regarding the various corpses of people you will
find and/or create. If you pick them up, then drop them again, their heads will
be at unnatural angles (probably indicating that their necks are broken), or
sometimes their heads just disappear!
4.3: Doors
==========
This FAQ also assumes that you will know enough to try to open doors before
walking through them, and to close them behind you. (An open door can also be a
telltale sign to patrols that something is amiss...namely, you.)
Note that in this walkthrough, most of the time when I refer to a door, there is
an actual, physical door. If there is not, the opening is generally referred to
as a doorway, opening, or an archway.
4.4: Hard Surfaces
==================
Hard surfaces include any sort of surface that makes a very loud or noticeable
noise when you're walking on it. Things like tile, metal, and even wood can fall
into this category. While Moss Arrows will allow you to walk over the covered
area silently, you never really have enough of them to go wantonly shooting them
everywhere you want to walk.
SNEAKING is the key. You have three movements available to you...walking,
running, and sneaking. The sneak key defaults to the SHIFT key, and makes you
move slower, though quieter. In some areas, I have noted that when you move
normally in the shadows, you are slightly more visible, but sneaking seems to
keep you hidden.
There is another way to sneak...CROUCH SNEAKING. This is walking when you are
CROUCHED, either with the sneak key pressed or not. You make less noise
(although it is sometimes still very audible). You can minimize this even
further, however, by using a "stop-and-go" method. Move forward a SHORT
distance, and stop. You will probably have made no noise whatsoever. Now, move
forward another short distance, and stop. Keep this up until you get to quieter
ground, and you should be able to get through just about any terrain silently.
4.5: Water
==========
Water is loud when you splash around in it. This occurs when you try to swim
quickly, or jump into the water. Try not to do it too often. Swim slowly (using
your WALK key). Also note that, while you can swim carrying someone on your
shoulder, on the missions where you are told not to kill anyone, you cannot dump
bodies in the water to "hide" them. They drown, and that counts as you killing
them. (If they follow you into the water and drown however, that does not count
against you...that's just idiots trying to swim while wearing armour.)
An important note regarding your weapons and water: if the water is deep enough,
even if you are simply wading (ie: walking, not swimming), you will still be
unable to use most of your weapons.
When the water is deep enough, you can dive underwater. This is useful for
finding underwater passages, searching the bottom of a lake for treasures, and
possibly even for hiding from enemies. You do have a limited supply of air
however (represented by a "bubble bar" in the lower right of the screen), and
when that runs out, you'll start to take damage. You'll take three hit points of
damage, get a small reprieve (you get a few bubbles added to your bubble bar),
and then take another three hits. This will continue until you surface, take a
Breath Potion, or die.
On a final note: Whatever you do, do NOT try to swim in lava. It's not water.
You'll die. Instantly.
4.6: Food
=========
Throughout the various missions, you will come across a variety of different
sorts of food. While in the previous games this was basically just to make the
game more realistic and to provide some atmosphere, food plays a bigger role in
Thief II.
Occasionally when you eat something, it will restore a single point of health to
you. This seems to be a random occurence, but I have seen it happen while eating
a slice of cheese. So if you're running low on health, start collecting food
items. You may be lucky enough to restore enough health points to finish the
mission (or find a Healing Potion!).
4.7: Gas Lamps
==============
When you find a light source in the game, it is most likely to be either a torch
or a gas lamp. While torches are pretty straightforward, gas lamps are a little
more tricky.
Gas lamps can be extinguished with a Water Arrow, just like a torch can.
However, once it is out, you may notice sometimes that they "highlight" just
like items you can take or use. If you try to "use" a gas lamp while it's
highlighted, you can turn them on again, and it will operate just as if you had
never doused it. Unfortunately, you cannot turn them OFF as easily...you must
douse it just like you would a torch.
When you stand close to a gas lamp, you will hear a slight hissing noise. This
is, I presume, the gas used to fuel the lamp. It can be quite distracting if
you're trying to listen to or for something in particular. Until I figured out
what this noise was, I thought the game had been made to include snakes! (I hate
snakes.)
4.8: Compass
============
You have a compass in your inventory. Most of the time in this FAQ, I will
attempt to give you instructions without needing to resort to referring to the
compass. For example, I will say something like "On your left, as you face the
idol," or "Turn so the door is to your back." From time to time, however, it may
be necessary for me to refer to compass directions.
Your compass is in the shape of an eight-pointed star. The larger points
indicate the major compass directions (North, East, South, and West), whereas
the smaller points refer to the in-between directions (Northeast, Southeast,
Southwest, Northwest). One of the larger points is red in colour. This point is
your reference point. It will always be pointing towards the north. The
direction which you are currently facing will be indicated by the point which is
directed in (more or less) the direction you're facing. So if I tell you to face
east, look at your compass, and orient it so that the red arrow is pointing
(more or less) towards the left side of the screen.
An interesting note regarding your compass...if you spin around while it is open
in your inventory, you can watch the star spin with you. However, if you change
your vertical facing (ie: looking up and down), the star will also rotate on
that axis with you!
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
=========================
For those who remember Garrett's "continuous jumping" trick from the previous
games, it appears to have been removed from Thief II. Either that, or I'm
incredibly inept at the procedure. I prefer to think the former. :)
Mantling is pulling yourself up onto a ledge of some sort, be it a railing,
fireplace mantle, or just a block of stone. To mantle, you press up against the
object you wish to climb, and jump. You will grab the object in question, pull
yourself up, and stand up on top of it.
It is important to note that some objects are just a touch too high to mantle up
onto in this manner. In these cases, you have to do a running jump/mantle
manouevre. Basically, you step back from the object, then run towards it and
jump before you reach it. Do not release the jump button, and when Garrett
strikes the object, he will grab onto it and mantle up.
4.10: Leaning
=============
Leaning is a very important part of your pilfering profession. Leaning around a
corner will allow you, for example, to look into a brightly lit room while still
remaining unseen. In some cases, it will allow you to knock out a patrolling
guard when he walks by, when you can't move up behind him because of the hard
floor surface.
There are three types of leanings you can do. There is the left lean, the right
lean, and the forward lean. The forward lean can be very useful for picking
pockets or knocking out guards when there's an obstruction in the way, such as a
small wall. Also, leaning forward will allow you to knock out a guard who is
approaching you in the dark before he gets close enough to notice you.
4.11: Zooming
=============
In the game, you play Garrett, a master thief who has a mechanical eye. And
that's not a clever play on words, or a cute name for a device. He literally has
a mechanical eye in place of a real one. (To find out how this happened, play
the previous game.)
One of the benefits of this device is that you have a sort of "telescopic view"
that you can access. You use your Zoom In and Zoom Out keys (defaults are ] and
[, respectively) to increase or decrease your view's range. You can increase
your view to the same sort you get when you are pulling back on an arrow (if you
have Bow Zoom turned on). That is your maximum. Your MINIMUM view is the one you
default to. You cannot "Zoom Back" to a smaller view than this.
The benefits of this Zoom mode is that, unlike the Bow Zoom, you can hold your
Zoom In view indefinitely. The Bow Zoom only lasts as long as the strength in
your arm does. Once you let loose your grip on the bowstring, your view returns
to normal.
4.12: Enemies
=============
"Enemies" is a general term used to describe anyone or anything you might
encounter during the game that would make your pilfering expeditions more
dangerous, either by attacking you or by raising the alarm and alerting others
to your presence. Not all "enemies" can attack you, but all are against your
best interests.
You face off against a number of different types of enemies. Here is some basic
information on the ones I've encountered so far. Note that the names I've given
to some of them are NOT necessarily official. They are just what I've called
them when I've had no official name to give them.
4.12.1: Human Guards
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This includes your standard Guards (Swordsmen and Archers), and Hammerites.
Unlike the previous game, Thief II includes females as well as males among the
ranks of guardsmen (guardspersons?).
These guys fall easily to your Blackjack attacks, so long as they aren't
expecting it. If they are looking around searching for you, you can sometimes
manage to club them, but it doesn't always work. In these circumstances, your
best bet is to lean forward to knock them out. They don't seem to see you as
well then. Also, light plays an important role. The more of you that can be seen
(ie: check your light-indicator!), the harder it is to successfully put the
guards to sleep.
Most of the time, these guys are armed with some sort of hand-to-hand weapon (a
sword or hammer). Occasionally, one will have a bow instead (and don't think
that they can only fire Broadheads at you!). The guys in red, however, are
Priests and spell casters.
Occasionally, a guard will have a key, purse, or other item on their person that
you can either lift off (ie: pick their pocket), or grab after you've knocked
them out. I prefer the pickpocket method. (Note: There are entries in the game
manual that seem to indicate a person can have more than one item to
pickpocket!)
NOTE: One time, I knocked out a guard, and because another was coming, picked up
the body and ran BEFORE getting the purse off him. After dropping the body,
however, the purse was gone. :( This, however, was while playing the original
Thief game. In Thief II, I have picked up bodies, then dropped them and been
able to get the item from their belt.
I need to experiment more with this to see if this still occurs in Thief II.
However, one suggested method of avoiding this is to knock out the victim, and
pick his pocket AS HE'S FALLING. This apparently works, and you still get the
credit for picking the pocket.
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
======================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This category includes anyone that doesn't fight against you in the game:
Servants, Civilians, Prisoners, etc. They are weak, falling easily to just about
any attack.
In most cases with other human opponents, once they are alert to you, they are
difficult to blackjack. This is not necessarily true of the Non-Combatants. In
most cases, they can be running right towards you, screaming for help, with you
in bright light, and you can knock them senseless. Some, however, will still not
fall, although they are rare.
4.13: Arsenal
=============
While your chosen lifestyle usually involves you hiding from foes rather than
fighting, it is sometimes necessary to make use of some of your weapons...and
some have more uses than the obvious.
Note that you are more easily seen if you have a weapon drawn than if you are
empty-handed (except for the Blackjack). Also, having a weapon out (except the
Blackjack) can slow you down. So if you are in a hurry, put your weapons away!
A word about your bow. Whenever you nock an arrow and pull back, after a short
wait your vision will "zoom in" and you'll be able to see much farther much
clearer. This can be handy if you ever need to see great distances. Nock an
arrow, pull back, and when you've seen all you wish to see, disarm the bow. The
default disarm key is the tilde (~). (For more on Zooming, see section 4.10.)
4.13.1: Sword
=============
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Your basic hack-n-slash weapon. Your Sword does either a left cut, a right cut,
or an overhead smashing blow. To get the smashing blow, you need to hold your
attack button without releasing it for a short time. While it takes longer to
deliver, it does more damage than the simple cuts. Also, if your enemy is not
expecting an attack (ie: he doesn't know you're there), the Sword delivers more
damage than standard (usually killing with one blow).
According to the manual, there are two types of cuts. Tapping your attack button
will do a quick cut with your Sword. If you hold your attack button slightly
longer, you apparently do a more powerful sideswipe.
Your Sword is also good for cutting down banners, tapestries, or other types of
wall-hangings that may hide secret areas behind them.
If you are trying to hide in the shadows, having your Sword drawn will make you
easier to spot. However, if you put your weapon in the Block position, it seems
to lessen your visibility somewhat.
4.13.2: Blackjack
=================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
There's not much about the Blackjack that isn't obvious. It's got a short reach,
so you have to be pretty close to use it effectively. Interestingly enough, when
you knock out your victims, if you examine their faces, their eyes are wide
open. Curious that....
While most other weapons make you more visible, having this one at the ready
does not affect your visibility.
Two things worth noting about this weapon. First, it IS possible to kill someone
with it. If they know you're there and are attacking you, a few solid clouts
with this does send them to the Builder. Also, sometimes Non-Combatants (ie:
Servants, Prisoners, etc.) are so weak that a single blow from this weapon kills
them, even if you were just going for a knock-out.
Another interesting thing. If you knock someone out while you are in the middle
of a jump, when you look at your stats screen later, you will have an additional
entry for the number of knockouts "while airborne". :)
Sometimes there is a problem with knocking out a person, and picking up the body
BEFORE getting any goodies (like a purse or key) off of their belt. When you
drop the body and look, the item sometimes disappears. One method of avoiding
this (assuming you are in a hurry for some reason) is to knock your victim out
and then pick his pocket before he hits the ground. You will get the item and,
apparently, the credit for picking his pocket as well.
NOTE: According to the manual (bottom of page 21), you have to hit a creature on
the head in order to induce sleep. This is, in fact, not true. You can prepare
your blackjack to strike, then crouch, move behind your opponent, and release,
knocking him out despite the fact that you just whacked his or her ass (although
I prefer to think you are whacking them in the kidneys, stunning them.)
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
========================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Their use as a weapon is obvious. These weapons, like your Sword, do much more
damage to your enemies when they are not expecting your attack (usually killing
them with one shot).
You may think these weapons are useless on missions where you can't kill anyone,
but that's not entirely true. They are great "distractions". Fire one off
against a nearby wall, and you attract the attention of nearby enemies. And if
you're hiding in shadows, they (usually) look around for you instead of raising
the alarm. Lead your enemies into an ambush, and blackjack them. :)
Note that if you fire your Broadhead Arrows into soft surfaces, you can
sometimes retrieve them! (I'm afraid your target's body does not count as a soft
surface.)
Sometimes you can collect Broadheads that were shot at you and missed, if they
land in soft surfaces. I have been told that Garrett cannot carry more than 90
Broadhead Arrows, but I have not verified this. (This limitation was for Thief
Gold...I am assuming that it carried over to Thief II.)
4.13.4: Water Arrows
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Very useful for putting out unwanted light sources, and also for cleaning up any
bloodstains you leave behind. Light sources include torches, gas lamps, and
Flares (see section 4.12.11, below).
As an interesting side note, Water Arrows are ignored by your enemies when fired
at them. I've fired a Water Arrow right in the face of a guard, and he didn't
even flinch! Although the noise does seem to attract them, at least the first
time.
NOTE: When extinguishing a light source, it is not necessary to hit it dead-
on...or in some cases, even to hit it! A close hit will still put it out. I am
assuming this is some sort of "splash damage".
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
These little beauties are devastating. Some guards which normally take several
Broadhead Arrows to bring down will sometimes fall with a single Fire Arrow.
They are also useful for relighting torches, should you decide you need a little
more light in your life. (Perhaps they also relight Gas Lamps?)
If your Fire Arrow detonates too close to you, you will take some damage, so be
careful!
If you are hiding in the shadows, arming a Fire Arrow will brighten your area a
bit, making you more noticeable.
A word about trajectory: When you fire most arrows, you need to take gravity
into account. That is, once the arrow leaves your bow, it starts to fall, losing
altitude. You need to aim high if you're aiming at a target that's a long way
off. This is NOT true with the Fire Arrows. It's like a mini-rocket. Aim, fire,
and it keeps going IN A STRAIGHT LINE, until it strikes something. Keep this in
mind when using them.
It is interesting to note that, while a Fire Arrow will continue on in a
straight line until it hits something, how far back you pull the bowstring will
determine how fast it flies. Try it out for yourself...it's like watching its
flight in slow motion. (Just for fun, if you fire your Fire Arrow slowly enough,
you CAN run after it, past it, then turn around and watch it hit you! I assume
the same can be said for Gas Arrows.)
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Mission Two (Shipping... and Receiving)
You fire a Moss Arrow at some loud sound-generating ground (tile, grating,etc.),
and it gets covered with moss. When you walk on it, you no longer make any noise
at all. So far, that's the only use I've found for them.
Firing Moss Arrows at items, people, or even the walls or ceiling, will cause
the initial clump of moss to fall to the ground at that point, and then the
remaining moss will shoot out.
It is important to note that the moss from one of these arrows covers an entire
square area, even though some patches may look "bare" in this area. These bare
patches are still considered "mossed", and you can walk silently on them.
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
==================
First Appearance: Unknown
These are very nice to have on those levels where you can't kill anyone. It
allows you to knock out someone (or sometimes a few someones) at a distance. If
you use one of these in a crowd, there is a radius effect which knocks out the
primary target as well as those in the immediate vicinity.
While you won't be knocked unconscious if your Gas Arrow "detonates" too close
to you, you will take some damage from the shattering glass.
Trajectory with Gas Arrows is the same as with Fire Arrows: they keep going in a
straight line, never falling, until they hit something.
In a pinch, Gas Arrows can be used to put out unwanted fires. (Possibly Gas
Lamps as well?)
Like Fire Arrows, if you only pull back on your bowstring briefly, the arrow
will travel much more slowly. (And I assume that you can chase it and hit
yourself with it, like the Fire Arrows.)
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
Very handy items, if you happen to have no way into or out of an area, and there
is a wooden (or similarly "soft") surface neraby. Fire one of these, and you
have instant access.
A word of caution: While these arrows are very useful to you in many situations,
it should be pointed out that there is a maximum length to the rope. You could
shoot a Rope Arrow at a ceiling very high up, and watch with dismay as the rope